Yin Yichen's carriage stopped outside the Shangshu Mansion. The two carriages looked neither big nor small, but very luxurious and elegant.
Yin Yichen was already tall and slender, and wearing a robe with a crane pattern made him look even taller and more handsome, with the air of a gentleman and a slender bamboo. His face was filled with a fierce air, so fierce that those around him dared not look up.
Yin Yichen got off the carriage and entered the Shangshu Mansion from outside.
Upon hearing the news of Yin Yichen's visit, Shangshu Lord Zhao Ting hurried to the door to greet him and said to Yin Yichen, "Prime Minister, I am sorry for not welcoming you so far."
Yin Yichen smiled faintly and said, "As long as the Prime Minister doesn't mind my sudden visit, that's fine."
"What are you talking about, Prime Minister? I'm afraid that our Shangshu Mansion is not well prepared and cannot provide a good reception." Shangshu Zhao Ting said as he welcomed Yin Yichen into the front hall of the Shangshu Mansion and arranged for Yin Yichen to sit on a chair that had been prepared long ago.
Yin Yichen was not polite either. He sat in the guest seat of the Shangshu Mansion and looked at Zhao Ting and said, "I heard that the Shangshu's only son passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. I haven't had time to congratulate the Shangshu yet."
When Zhao Ting heard Yin Yichen mention his son, his face was filled with joy, but he still said modestly, "Although my son passed the imperial examination once, it is really a drop in the bucket compared to the Prime Minister's achievements. I only hope that he can have some success in the future so as not to disgrace his years of study. In that case, I still hope that the Prime Minister can help him a little."
Yin Yichen's expression was indifferent. He took the cup of tea that the Shangshu Mansion had prepared for him and took a sip. Yin Yichen looked at Zhao Ting and said, "I wonder where your son is now?"
Zhao Ting heard Yin Yichen ask this question. Although Yin Yichen, who usually didn't care about trivial matters, asked about this information, although he was confused, he had no choice but to answer, "I am currently serving in the Hanlin Academy."
"I see." Yin Yichen nodded meaningfully, then looked at Zhao Ting and said, "Your son is nineteen now. I wonder if you have found a marriage for him?"
Zhao Ting hesitated for a moment before answering, "Prime Minister, please be aware that my son is currently unengaged and is currently meeting women in the capital."
"Then I wonder if you've found a suitable family?" Yin Yichen had a faint smile on his face, and he spoke without realizing it was presumptuous. "If you find a good marriage, I can also share in the joy."
Zhao Ting was completely speechless by now. Yin Yichen had always been unconventional in the court, and the officials in the court were like mice seeing a cat when they saw him. Now that he had actually come to the Shangshu Mansion to inquire about Zhao Minghe's marriage, it seemed that his behavior was really unusual.
Even so, Zhao Ting didn't dare to lie. Although he didn't know why Yin Yichen asked about this, if he lied and displeased the Prime Minister, he would be in big trouble in the court in the future. "To be honest with you, Prime Minister, I have set my eyes on Miss Ning, the legitimate daughter of the Weiwu General's Mansion, and I have decided to propose marriage to her."
Yin Yichen showed a hint of surprise on his face, "Is it Miss Song Wanningning who just divorced a while ago?"
After Yin Yichen finished speaking, it was Zhao Ting's turn to be surprised. He looked at Yin Yichen and said, "The Prime Minister actually knew about such a private matter?"
"I happened to be there when the General's Mansion and the Marquis' Mansion divorced." Yin Yichen held the cup of tea prepared for him by the Shangshu Mansion and studied it carefully. He said lightly, "The General's Mansion is powerful and influential. The Marquis' Mansion tried to retain them but failed, so they finally compromised reluctantly."
Zhao Ting didn't understand the meaning of Yin Yichen's words, so he could only respond awkwardly, "This..."
Yin Yichen looked at Zhao Ting with a hint of smile in his eyes, as if he was talking about a trivial matter. "I heard that many noble families in the capital are now interested in Song Wanning, the daughter of the general's mansion. I didn't expect that the minister's mansion would get her first. Although the minister will be able to enjoy a lot of protection as a relative of the general's mansion in the future, I'm afraid the pressure and turmoil he will have to bear will be considerable."
Zhao Ting was surprised to hear Yin Yichen say this. He said bewilderedly, "Although the Song family's legitimate daughter is good, she is, after all, a second marriage. How can she attract the attention of the nobles in the capital?"
"Your Excellency is mistaken. General Song Jing has made great contributions and enjoys a rich family. There are many people in the capital who want to marry into his family." Yin Yichen shook his head calmly and smiled. "Your Excellency has always stayed away from disputes in the court, so it's not surprising that you would risk it for your child. I just don't know if you can bear the risk."
Zhao Ting didn't dare to say anything now, so he could only bow and say, "Thank you, Prime Minister, for your advice. I understand now."
"The Minister is a wise man who always knows how to make decisions." Yin Yichen chuckled twice, two sincere smiles on his lips. He drank the tea in the cup and placed it on the table. "The tea is good. I still have a lot of things to do, so I won't bother you anymore."
Zhao Ting hurriedly shouted to Yin Yichen, "Prime Minister, if you have free time in the future, please come to the Shangshu Mansion and have a visit."
After saying this, he sent Yin Yichen out. When he came back, Madam Shangshu and Zhao Minghe had reappeared.
When Yin Yichen was there, the two of them were behind the screen. Although they never showed their faces, they heard everything Yin Yichen said clearly. Zhao Minghe now looked at Zhao Ting with confusion, "Father, why did the Prime Minister come to our house only to talk about this matter? Not to mention that the Prime Minister and my family have never had much friendship, but the Prime Minister came here to persuade me to give up this marriage. What is his intention?"
Zhao Ting sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what their intentions are, but what the Prime Minister said is true. If anyone marries Song Wanning now, they will be seen as trying to curry favor with the powerful and form a clique for personal gain, which will be detrimental to their future. My father has always been a stable official in the court. If I marry into the general's mansion, I'm afraid it will overturn the reputation I have built over the past decade."
The Shangshu's wife was dissatisfied with Zhao Ting's words and said bluntly, "As the saying goes, wealth and honor are sought in danger, and without destruction there is no construction. You have spent your whole life seeking fame and reputation, but all you have achieved is the position of Shangshu. If Minghe wants to make great achievements in his official career in the future, it is very important for him to marry a capable wife. But now that the Prime Minister has come to remind us, if we propose marriage again, it will seem that our family is ungrateful."
Zhao Ting nodded seriously in agreement, "Exactly."
"But why is the Prime Minister like this?" Zhao Minghe was originally very satisfied with Song Wanning. He never expected that the marriage he had agreed to would be canceled like this. He felt sad for a moment.
"Why do you think so?" Though a woman, the Shangshu's wife had a keen eye and saw the key to this immediately. She sneered, "I heard the Prime Minister is still single at twenty-one. I'm afraid he wants to be the general's son-in-law."
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